Man Spends 8 Months Living All Alone in 10th Century Conditions (PHOTOS)

It would be sheer bliss and a piece of cake but alone would make it somewhat unrealistic. Not to mention that in this experiment he didn't have to be concerned with defending his life every minute of the day while going about his other routine.
 
Would you rather live like that, or more realistically in a small village like that, or in a tenement in an early industrial era factory town? :)

Sapozhnikov was part of a project, an experiment, with some backup. Here is a Russian family who did it on their own for years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lykov_family
 
WILLIAM.M said:
http://firsttoknow.com/medieval-hermit/?utm_source=facebookpage

COULD YOU DO THAT??

I would like to try it--but not for 8 Months
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Interesting find William - I'm not so sure that I would want to do it for that long either.

It's odd that he is alone - I don't believe that would have been all that common as people mainly lived in family/tribal groups, but it's their experiment and their right to determine the parameters.

Thanks for posting this!
 
With the amount of stuff he was given from the start he is not living in 10th century conditions.

Established buildings, lots of livestock, generous food supplies, a well, advanced cooking facilities, outhouse, tools. He is living the life of an obscenely healthy noble in a small prosperous village whose people left him well stocked on a generous plant of land that is somehow unmolested by thieves and brigands. You would not have that level of material well-being on your own. It would have taken 50 years with multiple generations of sweat, toil, trial and error to get to that point. Even if you had it you wouldn't be able to maintain it.

People can survive with more primitive technology, people can survive with less material goods. Was that ever in question? Look to any impoverished area of the earth. The true value of the experiment is IMHO in studying the psychological effects of technology deprivation and extreme isolation.

I could do it. I would not want to do it.

Alone for 8 months with nothing to do but eat, sleep, shit, and piss. No internet and a boatload of manual chores. With everything being prefabricated there's even less variety in your routine to pass the time.

But hey the guy got funding for an 8 month vacation to screw around in the woods. He presumably enjoyed it. This is a win any way you slice it. :)
 
Can you imagine a similar setup near your own home on your own land? It would be your own personal Williamsburg! Kids would love it.
 
It would be a lot more fun without the "lonely hermit" theme.

Neat concept, though. I'd like to see more of a town or clan theme, with (ahem) women involved.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Can you imagine a similar setup near your own home on your own land? It would be your own personal Williamsburg! Kids would love it.
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There are plenty of old homesteads in rural communities in need of some TLC (lets call it an even ton) for those willing to put in the work. :D
 
WILLIAM.M said:
http://firsttoknow.com/medieval-hermit/?utm_source=facebookpage

COULD YOU DO THAT??

I would like to try it--but not for 8 Months
Click to expand...

I would definitely give it a try. Most of my woodsmanship is very very similar to that lifestyle...only using "modern products" [like packs, blades, etc] being the difference. One example is I like to use my fire steel with char cloth when "time sensitive fire starting" isn't essential...and I've had some really good luck with primitive spear fishing [instead of using lines and hooks]. I've successfully trapped turtles in shallow water [for food] using fish guts and parts as bait.....and I'm a pretty successful hunter overall.

This man is a true inspiration:

"Alone in the Wilderness" is the story of Dick Proenneke living in the Alaska wilderness.

[video=youtube;iYJKd0rkKss]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYJKd0rkKss[/video]
 
That guy survived eight months without an internet connection!!! Eight months!!! Unthinkable! :)

As for me, I have no interest in living before the invention of novocaine! :)
 
Scott Free said:
That guy survived eight months without an internet connection!!! Eight months!!! Unthinkable! :)

As for me, I have no interest in living before the invention of novocaine! :)
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lol....that's exactly what my kids say...:highly_amused:

...except that all 3 [daughters] were very interested in learning how to can foods [yes, I still do canning] so that they were able to 'prepare for situational events' [news reels of Hurricane Katrina really scared the bajeezuz out of them].
 
I would like to think I could do that. But I am too weak to survive without my friends/girlfriend to talk to. I'd go nuts, well, even crazier than usual :rolleyes:
And besides that I wouldn't survive without a pillow top mattress lol
James.
 
That would be pretty awesome, I find myself thinking quite often that the world could use a step back a couple hundred years.
 
On one hand I think I could totally dig it, on the other, I'd really miss my camera :) ...aand coffee. I think if I was going to have to do eight months I'd just as soon make it a year so I could have a full spring, summer, and autumn for growing, before going into the winter. I lived off the grid for a while in my younger days, but not in complete isolation, and with a hospital and pharmacy near by.
 
No, not really interested. I like a balance of both worlds, the outdoors and my hot showers/cable TV. Although realistically my outdoor time is likely closer to 10-15%. I have to work and I like to sleep in a soft warm bed. However, if I was up in the Boreal forest zone my perspective/priorities may be quite different.
 
Not sure I would want to do it without my wife......

8 months???? He'll a week is a long time with no nookie!
 
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